Wishlist Wednesday: SA Cancer Council

Help support San Antonio area cancer patients

SAN ANTONIO – Our local nonprofits in San Antonio need help from the community now more than ever due to COVID-19 affecting its daily operations.

This week for Wishlist Wednesday, KSAT Community will be highlighting the SA Cancer Council nonprofit.

The mission of the Council is to support the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, in the fight against cancer by providing financial and volunteer resources for cancer research, treatment, education, community outreach and patient assistance.

According to the nonprofit, the SA Cancer Council’s food pantry has not been operational since mid-March because the SA Food Bank has stopped allowing closed food pantries to pick up food until further notice.

This has resulted in increased challenges for patients who are now confronted with finding resources to help buy groceries.

How has COVID-19 impacted SA Cancer Council?

“Prior to COVID-19 the Council operated an on-site food pantry at the Mays Cancer Center," said Cheryl Wright, a representative from SA Cancer Council. "Volunteers regularly picked up food from the San Antonio Food Bank which is sold at a discount to nonprofit organizations. This support has been provided for patients earning no more than 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, an estimated 275 patients per year. From Sept. 1, 2018 to Aug. 30, 2019, the food pantry served 252 individuals with 4221 pounds of food items. Now the San Antonio Food Bank prohibits food distribution to satellite locations and the food pantry operation the SA Cancer Council previously offered is suspended.”

This leaves some of the patients who formerly benefited from the SA Cancer Council food pantry to wait in long lines at the Food Bank distribution areas.

How can the community help?

The nonprofit is asking for monetary donations to buy groceries to help feed cancer patients.

If you are able to donate $25 towards the nonprofit, the gift will help provide a food box for a patient.

The suggested items in each $25 box would include a can of pinto beans, can of green beans, can of whole kernel corn, tomato sauce, can of tuna, can of chicken breast, peanut butter, pasta, enriched rice, instant mashed potatoes, toasted oats, apple sauce and hand soap.

Click here if you would like to make a donation.

Your donations will make a significant difference to help cancer patients continue to receive their life-saving treatments despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Related: Send a frontline worker a virtual message

For more information, visit sacancercouncil.org.

KSAT Community operates in partnership with University Health System, Energy Transfer and Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union.


About the Author:

Kiersten has been a Digital Content Creator with KSAT12 since 2017. She graduated from Texas State University with an electronic media degree and previously worked for the Spurs Sports & Entertainment.